Exercising machine



Aug. 2, 1932. c, D 1,869,673

EXERCISING MACHINE Filed Sept. 15. 1930 gmmto'o Char/a5 l Patented Aug. 2, 1932 PATENT- rrics CHARLES I1. DUFF, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO EXERGISING MACHINE Application filed September 15, 1930. Serial No. 482,115.

The present invention relates to exercising machines, and more especially to improvements in the construction and operation of the apparatus shown and described in my co-pending application, Serial No. 336,936, filed February 2, 1929.

An important object of the invention is to provide a simple, efiicient, and inexpensive exercising device in which means such as a friction clutch or the like is mounted on the shaft of a revoluble member and connected to an actuating member such as a flexible cord, in such a manner as to eliminate the shock produced by the sudden rewinding of the cord which shock is ordinarily transferred to the person operating the machine.

A further object consists in providing means on the shaft of the revoluble member for preventing the friction clutch from being moved from one side to the other during the winding or unwinding of the actuating member on the shaft, or when the actuating member is extended.

A further object comprehends the provision of means for mounting the friction clutch in proper position on the revoluble member.

Another object consists in providing a hinged cover for enclosing each end of the revoluble member and associated therewith yieldable means for normally maintainlng the cover in its closed position.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying claims.

Referring to the drawingin which is shown a preferred embodiment of the invention Figure 1 is a front view of the exercising machine with one end of the flexible handle portion removed;

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the line 2-2 of Fi ure 1; 1

igure 3 is a detailed View with parts in sections of one end of the device;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 44 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail View of a portion of the revoluble member and show its connection with the flexible strap and Figure 6 is an enlarged detail sectional view of one end of the apparatus with parts cut away for purposes of illustration.

Referring to the drawing in which like numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views, the supporting frame, on which the exercising device is revolubly mounted, preferably consists of a horizontal base portion 10 which has extending laterally therefrom the spaced webs or brackets 11 each of which webs terminates in the annular shaped housing 12 having the spaced clamping arms 13 and 14 between which is mounted the closure plate 15 by the clamping bolt 16 and nut 17.

The plate or cover 15 is counterbored in the walls thereof, to provide the recess 18 for receiving the right and left hand wound coil springs 19 and 19 respectively, the inner ends of each of said springs abutting against a lug 15, formed in thewall of the recess 18 (Fig. 6) while the' opposite ends of the springs extend into radial openings 17 in the arms 13 and 1 1, so that the tension of the springs will tend to resist the forward or upward swinging movement of the plate 15 and yieldingly maintain the same in its closed position.

Mounted within the housing 12 of each of the brackets 11 are the anti-friction bearings 20 which receive the adjacent reduced end portion 21, of the revoluble member 22. The bolt and nut 17 control the movement of the yieldable clamping-arms 13 and 1 1, and also maintain the revoluble member 22 and the anti-friction bearings 20 in position, while the springs 19 and 19' act as a bushing for the end portion of the bolt 16. The compressive force of the springs 19 and 19 on each side of the cover plate 15 tends to maintain the latter spaced from the adjacent sides of the arms 13 and 14 when the nut 17 is tig ings 20 in place.

The revoluble member 22 preferably consists of a shaft or spindle which has formed adjacent each end thereof an enlarged annular weighted member 23 which is shown as inhtened on the bolt 16 to hold the ball bear- 759' tegrally connected therewith but which may be separate and fixed thereon in any suitable manner. The shaft 22 is provided at a point substantially medial thereof with a reduced curved surface 24 which has extending axially therefrom and on opposite sides thereof a roughened surface such as the grooves or seats 25 which receive the flexible actuating strap or cord 26. It will be noted that the medial reduced surface 24: is of much wider width than the grooves 25.

The flexible strap 26 has swivelly connected at its outer end as at 27 a pulley 28 through which extends a flexible cord or wire 29 that terminates in the handles 80, which handles are adapted to be grasped by the person using the exercising machine so as to cause actuation of the revoluble member 22.

The flexible member 26 is connected to the revoluble member 22 to be automatically wrapped and unwrapped thereon by means of a friction clutch which preferably comprises an annular member 81 formed of leather or any other suitable wear resisting material which is arranged to embrace the medial smooth portion 24. The annular member 31 is preferably formed with an interrupted portion to provide the opposet spaced ends 32 and Tn order to maintain the member 31 in frictional engagement with the shaft 22, a metallic clamping spring 3%: may be attached to the outer surface of the annular member 81 and is provided with the flanges or lugs 35 for maintaining it in proper position at a point substantially diametrically opposite to the ends 32 and 33. Additionally, the spring 34 is formed with clips 36 which engage the sides of the annular mem ber 81 at points adjacent the ends thereof. Retaining bolts 33'? extend transversely through the annular member 31 and the clips 36 are fastened to the adjacent ends of the connecting links 38 for maintaining the clutch in proper operative position on the shaft 22.

Each of the links 88 is formed with angularly disposed portions that terminate at their free ends in the substantially triangularly shaped enlarged heads 39 (Fig. 1). The flexible strap 26 is connected to the friction clutch by a coupling 40 which has a l k 41 arranged to extend through the heads of the links 38 and fit in the off-set notches in opposite sides thereof, so that when the flexible member 26 is wound on the shaft on. either side of the clutch, it will be received in the grooves 25 and assume the position as shown in Figure 1. it will be seen that the grooves 25 provide seats for the strap 26 and thus prevent any pressure being exerted on the clutch which would cause the same to be moved or inclined to one side or the other, depending on which side the strap 26 is wrapped thereon. Moreover, by reason of this off-set connection, the strap 26 is prevented from at any time wrapping itself over the top of the clutch.

Due to the links 38 being provided with angularly disposed portions, the pull exerted on the strap 26 will be in a direct line so as to relieve the friction of the clutch when the strap 26 is in its extended position. Obviously, if the links 88 were straight the pull on the strap would be tangential to the periphery of the clutch and there would be a tendency to tighten rather than loosen the same.

The pressure exerted by the springs 19 and 19 against the cover plate 15 tends to assist in maintaining the plates in their normal closed position so as to insure the machine bei noiseless in 0 aeration yet at the same time allowing easy access to the roller bearings and ends of the shaft 22 for the purpose of oiling and inspection.

In operation, the strap 26 is first wound on the shaft 22 on either side of the clutch and the operator then grasps the handles 30 so that upon moving the strap 26 inward and outward relative to the machine, it will be wound and unwound thereon. When the strap is entirely paid out, the shaft 22 will continue to revolve in the same direction. As long as the operator holds the strap in the extended position, the shaft 22 will revolve relative to the friction clutch so that the strap will not be rewound on the shaft. However, the instant the operator slackens the pull on the strap 26 it will rewind in the opposite direction from the Way it was unwound. Due to the elf-set connection between the strap 26 and the friction clutch, the strap will be moved clear of the clutch on its first wrapping around the shaft 22 so as to insure the efficient operation of the device at all times. When the operator slackens the pull preparatory to moving his arms toward the machine for the next stroke and two or three revolutions of the shaft have been made, the friction of the clutch plus the friction be tween the wrapped portion of the strap 26 and the shaft 22 causes the strap to wind without any slippage, thereby pulling the hands of the operator towards the machine with a force that must be resisted by the operator to bring the sha t 22 to a stop and reverse it for the next stroke.

The positive force pulling the handles toward the machine does not start until the operators hands have moved a short distance towards the machine for a return stroke. WVhen a suflicient number of turns have been made and the force caused by the momentum of the shaft 22 and the weights 23 have been overcome by the operator, he again pulls the strap 26 outwardly and the direction of the rotation of the shaft is-reversed. This cycle may be repeated as often as desired.

In prior devices, the strap 26 is usually at tached directly to the shaft 22 and thestrap unwound by a pull thereon; when the strap is moved to its extended position it will immediately rewind and if the operator has not perfectly timed his movements, the shaft 22 will begin to rewind and cause an undesirable shock or pull to be transferred to the arms of the operator. This is entirely eliminated in applicants structure due to the friction clutch and its connection to the strap 26.

The strap 29 is flexibly connected through the pulley 28 to the strap 26 and thus equaliz-es the pull on the strap 26 when one hand of the operator is moved forward or backward relative to his other hand.

The exercising device is attached to the walls of a building in any suitable position by means of the bolts 43 which extend through the flange portions of the base 10.

It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown and described is merely illustrative and in no sense restrictive and that such changes may be made as fall within the purview of one skilled in the art and the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An exercising machine of the class de scribed having in combination a supporting frame, a rotatable shaft having its ends journaled in bearings formed in said frame, a relatively heavy member connected to said shaft adjacent each end thereof, said shaft having a medially disposed smooth portion and grooves extending from opposite sides of said medial portion, a friction clutch having angularly disposed links connected thereto, the free end portions of said links each having an enlarged head provided with off-set notches, a flexible strap, and a coupling connecting said strap to said links and having one end arranged to fit movably in said off-setnotches whereby to permit the strap to be moved on the shaft without wrapping over the clutch.

2. An exercising machine of the class described having in combination a supporting frame, arotatable shaft having its ends ournaled in bearings formed in said frame, a relatively heavy member connected to said shaft adjacent each end thereof, said shaft having a medially disposed smooth portion and grooves extending from opposite sides of said medial portion, a friction clutch having angularly disposed links connected thereto, the free end portions of each of said links having an enlarged head provided with off-set notches extending beyond the sides of the clutch, a flexible strap, a coupling connecting said strap to said links and having one end arranged to fit movably in said off-set notches whereby to permit the strap to be moved on the shaft without wrapping over the clutch, a transversely disposed flexible operating member, and means movably connecting the strap to said member whereby to effect an equalizing pull on the strap when the member is actuated by the operator.

3. An exercising machine of the class described having in combination a supporting frame, a rotatable shaft journaled in bearthereof, connecting links having off-set side 7 portions, means extending transversely through said annular member and said clips for securing said links thereto, a strap arranged to be wound and unwound on said shaft, means connecting one end of said strap to said links and arranged to fit in said off-set notches whereby to permit the strap to be moved on the shaft without wrapping over the clutch, and transversely disposed actuating means movably connected to the opposite end of said strap.

4. An exercising machine of the class described having in combination a supporting frame, spaced webs extending laterally from said frame, a rotatable shaft having its ends j ournaled in bearings formed in said webs, a cover pivotally connected to each of said webs for enclosing the ends of said shaft, means for maintaining a clearance between each of the covers at its point of connection with said webs, a relatively heavy member connected to said shaft adjacent each end thereof, a friction clutch embracing a medial portion of said shaft, an operating strap connected to said clutch and means on said shaft for preventing the clutch from being moved axially relative to the shaft when the strap is being wound thereon.

5. An exercising machine of the class described having in combination a supporting frame, a rotatable shaft journaled in bearings formed in said frame, a relatively heavy member connected to said shaft adjacent each end thereof, a friction clutch embracing a medial portion of said shaft and having spaced opposed ends, a closed link connected to each of said ends and having laterally extending portions projecting beyond the sides of said clutch, a flexible strap for actuating said shaft, a coupling member connecting said strap to said links whereby upon the actuation of the shaft the coupling member is arranged to fit movably in the laterally extending portions of said links to permit the strap to wind on the shaft on opposite sides of the clutch without wrapping over the top of the latter.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

CHARLES L. DUFF. 

